Rebel BJP MLA to field 5 candidates in Guj polls

After Keshubhai Patel's defection from BJP, another rebel MLA from the party has decided to take on Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi under the banner of his Sadbhavna Manch and will field five candidates in the forthcoming State assembly polls.

BJP legislator Kanu Kalsaria first rebelled against Modi by dragging the state government to Supreme Court, that too successfully, in opposing, now cancelled Nirma Cement plant in coastal Mahuva area of Bhavnagar, from where he is an elected MLA.

"Our successful movement against the cement plant to preserve the fragile ecology of the coastal area has earned us the goodwill in many areas where we have candid support," said Kalsaria.

"To give a logical end to our fight against Modi government we have decided to focus only in five constituencies where we will field candidates," he told PTI.

While the agitation against the cement plant was on its peak, Kalsaria, a doctor by profession, had formed a socio-political outfit named 'Sadbhavna Manch' and fielded candidates in elections of local bodies too.

"Much before Modi had embarked upon the so called 'Sadbhavna Mission' bandwagon our Manch had fought and won nine seats in Taluka Panchayats and two seats in district panchayats of Bhavnagar," Kalsaria asserted.

This time he has decided to take his fight a step further and plans to contest assembly seats of Mahuva, Talaja, Rajula, Gariadhar and Savarkundla.

"Our movement was based in coastal areas in and around Mahuva and now we will fight our first assembly battle against Modi government in coastal belt too," he said.

During the movement against the cement plant, Kalsaria also undertook an awareness yatra in coastal belt areas from Bhal to Dholera, Dhandhuka and in Kutch and Jamnagar.